Zone valve clicking

[Researcher2]

At the thermostat base plate. When theres a call for heat the stat closes that contact R to W the base plate is just for wire termination.

Are certain Rc and W1 are the right wires to connect at the base of the thermostat because I’m definitely not certain?

Also, is there any risk of damage to equipment, transfomer, relay, etc?

 

[Fitter30]

Yes Rc and Rh are connected in the stat

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Researcher2]

Yes Rc and Rh are connected in the stat

Thanks - is there any risk of damage to equipment, transfomer, relay, etc?

 

[Reach4]

1. no.
2. Since you are skittish, instead of shorting the two terminals, you could read the AC voltage instead. If you see ~24 VAC, that will provide some info. Fitter30 is providing good information.

 

[Fitter30]

There isn't any problem jumping R-W don't know what i was thinking.

 

[Researcher2]

1. no.
2. Since you are skittish, instead of shorting the two terminals, you could read the AC voltage instead. If you see ~24 VAC, that will provide some info. Fitter30 is providing good information.

I must be misunderstanding what you mean by jumping the terminals because nothing happens when I run a jumper across both wires. I made sure copper was touching on both sides.

 

[Researcher2]

1. no.
2. Since you are skittish, instead of shorting the two terminals, you could read the AC voltage instead. If you see ~24 VAC, that will provide some info. Fitter30 is providing good information.

@Fitter30 @WorthFlorida
I did confirm that either the old actuator or the new actuator are both ~ 24 VAC. Surprisingly, the new actuator is a bit lower than the old one, but still showing 26 VAC.

Old Actuator Below

New Actuator Below (with clicking noise)

 

[Researcher2]

@Fitter30 @Reach4 @WorthFlorida
Here is a wiring diagram that I tried to create. I'm 89.3% certain it is accurate. You can laugh, but it is my first one..

 

[Researcher2]

@Fitter30 @Reach4 @WorthFlorida
Here is a picture of the transformer and relay. This is a side view after I removed the transformer and the relay was behind it in the electrical box (see earlier picture).

 

[Fitter30]

R u sure the zone valve didn't open? Have 26 vac it should be open. No clicking? Pull a wire at valve should close.

 

[Researcher2]

R u sure the zone valve didn't open? Have 26 vac it should be open. No clicking? Pull a wire at valve should close.

No nothing. I can try again tomorrow.

The specs reads 6 seconds from fully open to close, 4 seconds from fully closed to open.

Now the use of a capacitor makes sense. With a capacitor voltage slowly drops to allow the motor to close the valve since any controller immediately removes power to the actuator. Doubtful that the transformer is short on power. The spec reads 12 zone valves/40VA transformer.

Thermostat wiring is a little strange. Is this the unit you're testing with? Is there 4 or 5 wires? W! is heat and that shout be wired to the actuator. ACC+ is 24v to drive accessories and that is strapped to W1 if this is four wire. Anytime a call for heat or cool, voltage is applied to ACC+. The white seems to loop around or are there 2 white wires. Also, two reds? Is the thermostat near the air-handler so it is easy to run a second wire? I know everything works as is ,I'm just trying to learn things here.

I believe there are 2 reds and 2 whites. It has been a few years, but I think were originally only 4 wires. I added a two wire that came with a red and white wire. I probably should have bought individual wires that were different colors. :-(

 

[Researcher2]

There isn't any problem jumping R-W don't know what i was thinking.

@WorthFlorida @Reach4

Since I jumped these two wires now the air conditioner doesn’t work.

The compressor on the roof won’t turn on.

It 12:30am and I’m on the roof in the dark.

I am so frustrated.

 

[Fitter30]

With stat subase. Unless that actuator is bad and took out the transformer shouldn't have a problem.
R-C 24v
R- W 0v
R- y 0v

 

[Researcher2]

With stat subase. Unless that actuator is bad and took out the transformer shouldn't have a problem.
R-C 24v
R- W 0v
R- y 0v

Had to turn off all power (fuses, thermostat, closet switch, etc) multiple times and then compressor started to work about 2am this morning. The compressor is only 3 years old, but has never once had an issue.

Does it matter that the wires go from Rc - W1 and not Rh - W1? Isn't Rc air conditioning.

There are no wires at Rh (under the thermostat to jump).

 

[Fitter30]

Their tied together in the thermostat. You only have one R and it doesn't matter which terminal its landed on. Some really old systems were wired with two transformers one for heat one for cooling. Did the valve stop clicking?

 

[Researcher2]

Their tied together in the thermostat. You only have one R and it doesn't matter which terminal its landed on. Some really old systems were wired with two transformers one for heat one for cooling. Did the valve stop clicking?

The relay is still clicking when I hook it up normally. Jumping r - w didn’t charge the actuator.

 

[Fitter30]

R is power 24v to C
w1 1st stage heat
w2 2 stage heat
y1 cooling
look at post 28 its your diagram and its correct
Relay still clicks in heat but in cooling work fine?

 

[Researcher2]

R is power 24v to C
w1 1st stage heat
w2 2 stage heat
y1 cooling
look at post 28 its your diagram and its correct
Relay still clicks in heat but in cooling work fine?

Correct, no issues with cool. Only when using the actuator.

Cooling doesn't use the actuator. It a regular AC/Compressor.

Heat is hydronic and therefore requires the actuator to open the valve.

 

[Fitter30]

Theres either a problem with the wiring or programming. Ecobee under furnaces/ boiler - section on fans ,fan should operated by ecobee.

 

[Fitter30]

How many wires going to valve?